GIF: Should Fernando Torres have been sent off for his kung-fu kick on Tom Cleverley (Chelsea v Man United)

Robin van Persie has already scored half as many goals for Manchester United already as Fernando Torres has posted in 2½ seasons at Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard, whose career has largely nosedived ever since he left Liverpool to join Chelsea, experienced another difficult matchday on Sunday against Manchester United.

Torres was sent off for collecting a second yellow card when referee Mark Clattenberg believed the attacker had dived in a challenge with Jonny Evans. Replays exonerated Torres of any wrongdoing, however few Red Devils had sympathy for Fernando as they believed the Spaniard should have already been sent off for an earlier infringement.

The incident in question took placed at the end of the first half.

When battling for a bouncing ball with United’s Tom Cleverley, Torres landed a raised boot into the midriff of the United midfielder in a foul reminiscent of Nigel De Jong’s famous kung-fu assault on Xabi Alonso in the World Cup final of 2010. Cynical Manchester United fans may argue that had Cleverley reacted by rolling around on the floor in agony, Torres would have been dismissed there and then.

Whilst no-one is suggesting that two wrongs make a right, it does feel that karma caught up to Torres by way of Clattenberg’s poor decision to dismiss the Spaniard in the second half.